LUKE 15:1–10 GOD HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON ME
Thursday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time, Year A
In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us about a shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to search for the one that is lost. He also speaks of a woman who searches carefully for a lost coin and rejoices when she finds it. What touches me most is that neither of them simply says, "It's only one; I still have plenty left." They search because what is lost matters to them. This is how God looks at us. When I wander away, make mistakes, or fail to love as I should, God does not consider me a lost cause. He continues to seek me.
Sometimes, however, we can be harder on ourselves or others than God is. We remember our failures and assume we cannot change. We may label someone by their past mistakes and find it difficult to believe they can begin again. God's mercy does not mean that our mistakes do not matter; it means that our mistakes do not have to be the end of our story. He keeps calling us back because He sees the person we can become through His grace.
Perhaps today we need to trust God's mercy in our own lives, or perhaps we need to stop giving up on someone else. We may not be able to change another person's heart, but we can pray for them, treat them with dignity, and leave the door open for a new beginning. If God has not given up on me, I should never be too quick to give up on myself or on someone else.
With Love and Prayers
Your Co-Traveler
